The Library Advisory Board of Modoc County was formed under the Mello-Roos Community Facility District #1, voted by the people on November 8, 1988. The purpose of the Library Advisory Board is to act as a liaison between the Modoc County Board of Supervisors and the Modoc County Library and its librarian; to act as a liaison between the public and the County Library: interpreting the County Library's activities to the public, and the public's needs to the County Library; and to assist the County Library in developing plans of service to meet these unmet needs.
Library Advisory Board membership (seven members) shall consist of one person appointed from each supervisorial district, one appointed by the Friends of the Modoc County Library, and one appointed by the Alturas City Council. The term for any position shall be for 4 (four) years. If any position is vacated, an appointment will be made to fill that position's unexpired term. No alternate may be appointed by any member.
Meetings shall be held at least quarterly. The chairman may also call special meetings as needed. Meetings shall be open and accessible to the public, unless otherwise provided by law. Absence from three (3) meetings within a calendar year, without a valid reason, will be considered as automatic resignation from the board.
Each member shall have 1 (one) vote. A quorum shall consist of one more than half the members.
District 1 Representative:
Michael Sykes, Vice Chair
P.O. Box 276, Cedarville, CA 96104; (530) 279-2766
E-mail: floatingisland@hotmail.com
Appointed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors on September 22, 2015. Term expires December 31, 2028.
District 2 Representative:
Cathy Smitha, Secretary
P.O. Box 2062, Alturas, CA 96101; 805-791-9985
CLSmitha @ yahoo.com
Appointed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors on April 13, 2021.
Term expires December 31, 2028.
District 3 Representative:
Fritz Barclay
Appointed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors on May 28, 2026
Term expires December 31, 2028.
District 4 Representative:
Margo Moore
Alturas, CA. 96101; (541) 580-1098
Appointed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors April 22, 2025.
E-mail: alwygd@yahoo.com
Term expires December 31, 2026.
District 5 Representative:
David Porter Misso
43336 Hwy 139, Tulelake, CA 96134; (530) 664-3918
E-mail: missonation@cot.net
Appointed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors on July 25, 2017. Term expires December 31, 2028.
City of Alturas Representative:
Lloyd Heidinger
P.O. Box 61, Alturas, CA 96101; (530) 708-7775
E-mail:
Appointed by the Alturas City Council on Sept. 2023 Term expires December 31, 2026
Friends of the Modoc County Library Representative:
Dick Read
P.O. Box 32, Alturas, CA 96101 (530) 233-3766
E-mail: dread@frontier.com
Appointed by the Friends October 20, 2022
Term expires December 31, 2028
Board of Supervisors liaison:
Casey Cockrell
LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD OF MODOC COUNTY BYLAWS
April 15, 2026
Preamble
Formed under the Mello-Roos Community Facility District 1, voted by the people November 1988, and governed by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors.
I. Name and Location
The name is the Library Advisory Board of Modoc County; the address is 212 West Third Street, Alturas, California 96101.
II. Purpose
In order to support the library’s mission to build a thriving, educated and enlightened community through literacy and lifelong learning, the Library Advisory Board shall:
- Act as liaison between the Modoc County Board of Supervisors and the Modoc County Library and its librarian.
- Act as liaison between the public and the county library, interpreting the county library’s activities to the public, and the public’s needs to the county library.
- Assist the county library in developing plans of service to meet unmet needs.
- Assist in development of the annual budget to ensure transparency and equitable services throughout the county.
- Engage in activities to support a robust library system, including but not limited to:
- Outreach to other official and community boards or organizations.
- Partner in presenting events which support the library’s mission.
- Participation in advocacy activities regionally or statewide.
III. Members
- One member will be appointed by the Board of Supervisors from each supervisorial district. One member will be appointed by the Alturas City Council and one member appointed by the Friends of Modoc County Library.
- The term for any position shall be for four years.
- Absence from three meetings within a calendar year without valid reason will be considered as automatic resignation from the Board, or if the member moved from their district or otherwise lost the status which qualified them for membership.
- Vacancies on the Board shall be filled in the same manner in which the departing member was appointed and retain the seat’s expiration date.
- District 1, District 5, and Alturas City seats expire in 2023.
- District 2, 3, 4 and Friends of the Library seats expire in 2025.
- The County Librarian will serve as ex-officio member of the Board in a non-voting capacity.
- The County Board of Supervisors has a designated ex-officio, non-voting member.
- Members shall complete California Form 700, Statement of Economic Interests, annually.
IV. Voting and Quorum
Each appointed member shall have one vote. A quorum shall consist of one more than half of the appointed members, so 4 persons for the 7 appointed members.
V. Meetings
Meetings shall be held at least quarterly. The chair may also call special meetings as needed. Meetings shall be open and accessible to the public unless otherwise provided by law.
Agendas and minutes including all attachments of board meetings shall be provided to each member of the board. These shall also be available at the County Library headquarters and available to the public. Postings of the agendas and minutes shall be at least 72 hours prior to regular meetings, and at least 24 hours prior to special meetings. Attachments may be provided at the meetings, and shall be available to the public at the County Library headquarters.
Current bylaws shall be available to the public at the County Library headquarters.
VI. Officers and Their Duties
The Board will at each first official meeting of every calendar year, nominate and elect a chair, a vice-chair, and a secretary. This shall be the first order of business each calendar year. Officers shall begin a one-year term immediately following the election.
Duties:
- The chair shall oversee the activities of the Library Advisory Board, conduct the meetings and appoint members to committees authorized by the board.
- The vice-chair shall assume the duties of the chair in the absence of that officer.
- The secretary shall record attendance and either take minutes of the meeting or approve those taken by an assistant.
VII. Bylaws and Amendments
- Bylaws may be amended or changed by a two-thirds vote of appointed members attending any regular meeting, provided that notice of such proposed action has been posted publicly at least one week prior to that meeting.
- Bylaws shall be reviewed as necessary, but at least every five years.
- No provision of these bylaws is intended either to delegate authority to, or remove the authority from, any party when such delegation or removal would result in a violation of governing statutes.
- Bylaws are recommended by the Library Advisory Board, and approved by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors.
VIII. Parliamentary Rules
The meetings of the Board will be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order and the Brown Act.
APPROVED as recommended according to the meeting minutes dated April 15, 2026.
Catherine L. Smitha
Secretary, Modoc County Library Advisory Board
Date: April 15, 2026